Issues in Electronic Communication in Project Management

1
Issues in Electronic Communication in Project
Management

• Dr David Thorpe
• Queensland Department of Main Roads

2
Electronic Project Management Main Roads -
Current Projects

• Online remote construction management
• Electronic tender schedule submission and
  processing
• Electronic quality records
• Electronic progress payments

3
Electronic Project Management Main Roads -
Potential Projects

• Electronic provision of tender documents
• Electronic submission of tenders
• Electronic selection of tenderers
• Expansion to full electronic project management

4
Example - Online Remote Construction Management
5
Example of ORCM DawsonHighway - Central
Queensland

• Constructor in Townsville
• Principal and superintendent in Emerald
• RTCS designer in Rockhampton
• Site south of Bauhinia Downs
• Researcher and reviewers in Brisbane
• Used purpose built web based software
• Server in neutral site in Sydney

6
Some Linkages
7
Potential Communications

• Requests for information
• Site instructions
• Quality records
• Photos and images
• Progress payments
• Meeting management
• Drawings
• Diaries
• Other correspondence

8
Advantages

• Fast response times to communication
• One communication - several recipients
• Excellent document control
• Links between documents
• Use of photographs
• Time and cost savings
• Use of web for public interface
• Re-engineering opportunities
• Potential to extend to on-line tendering, etc.

9
Issues - Overview

• Main Areas
• systems issues
• message delivery risks
• contractual and legal issues
• cultural issues
• Consequences
• lack of confidence in process
• slow take-up
• advantages difficult to achieve

10
Systems Issues

• Poor communication links in remote areas
• Potential for hardware/software failure
• Possible data loss/corruption
• Potential for delays in data transmission
• Interoperability between different systems,
  databases, data formats, etc.
• Security risks - unauthorised data access, system
  attack, viruses, etc.

11
Message Delivery Risks

• Authentication of sender
• Message not reaching correct recipient
• Corruption
• Interference with message
• Potential lack of confidentiality
• Recipient is not aware of message
• Incorrect security profiles
• Uncertainty of privacy of message

12
Contractual/Legal Issues

• Official record still needs to be on paper
• Need to archive so that data can be retrieved in
  future
• May need to change method of message
  transmission/receipt recognition
• Uncertain of coverage of pending legislation
• Liability issues arising if messages not
  correctly sent/received
• Routine messages v. messages leading to potential
  liability

13
Cultural Issues

• Technology not always readily accepted
• Lack of trust in technology
• Frustration with transmission time and complexity
  of interfaces
• Benefits not understood
• Participants must be committed to process
• Need for simple and robust interfaces for field
  conditions
• Training is important

14
Challenges

• Need to realise the benefits
• Risks require management
• Need to demonstrate benefit compared with risk
  how to evaluate?
• Need formal agreements between parties
• Security of web based systems compared with
  closed systems
• Need to demonstrate to users that they can trust
  electronic communication
• Is electronic communication always the best
  approach?